Other Outdoor Ideas

Don’t leave the hose running while washing your car. Get a self-closing nozzle to make it easier. (8–18 gallons per minute)

Repair any leaks around pool and spa pumps. (20 gallons per day per leak)

Repair leaking hose bibs. (15–20 gallons per day per leak)

Quick Tips

Pay attention to how much water you use.

Don’t waste water. Turn it on, turn it off!

Fix plumbing and irrigation leaks.

Take shorter showers.

Compost kitchen scraps instead of using the garbage disposal.

Garden with plants that don’t need a lot of water…or grow food, not lawns.

Mulch your garden and don’t overwater.

Use water sensors on your irrigation system.

You can eat to save water—eat less meat and eat more unprocessed plant-based foods.

San Diego County boasts tremendous natural beauty and diversity of life. Nature needs water, too! Conserving water is one way we can help protect biodiversity here and in the places that supply our imported water. To learn more about the natural life that calls San Diego home, visit the Museum’s Field Guides, developed by the Museum’s Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias .